Attic ventilator



Filed Sept. 24, 1940 Dec. '28, 1943.

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 'I 'i L L Ifi i i E E f E I van 1 v' f i E l. ir l a l 54 (s 2a rfs'ar f3 Il 3 5 2c; y j

INVENTOR ATTORNEY-5.

Dec. 28, 1943. c. F. BEELER 2,337,863

` ATTIC VENTILATOR Fiied Sept. 24,*1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR [wax/ea /Cfee/e/e Patented Dec. 28, 1943 UNTED STA'S FTLNT FFlC 10 Claims.

My present invention relates te a ventilator or blower for Ventilating purposes, the invention being particularly useful in attic spaces for the purpose of inducing a current of air through the room beneath which the ventilator is positioned. The principal object of the present invention is to provide a quiet attic ventilator which may be used to ventilato sleeping quarters due to its low noise level and for long periods of time without consuming a great deal of current, and which may be quickly and easily installed and which is not unsightly in appearance.

A further object of the present invention is to provide means whereby a wheel-like mechanism, such as a turbine air impeller or attic ventilator, may be driven at a slow speed by means of a high speed motor without the use of expensive reduction gearing or other speed reducing mechamsm.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a wheel driving mechanism wherein a belt carried by the mechanism is s arranged as to function as the driven pulley of the mechanism, and which contacts the driving pulley of the motor directly so as to be free from friction losses usually encountered in belt driven apparatus.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a friction driving mechanism for a wheellike apparatus such as an attic ventilator, wherein the driving pulley is mounted on the shaft of a motor which is so mounted and arranged with respect to the driven apparatus as to be capable of moving away from contact with the driven portion of the apparatus under starting inertia strains or other shocks so as to permit the use of a normal starting torque motor instead oi the high starting torque motor usually required for such purposes.

A further object of the present invention' is to provide an attic ventilator adapted to be seated over a ceiling opening with damper means adapted to close the opening when the ventilator is not in operation so as to prevent downdrafts and so as not to mar the appearance of a room, and adapted to open under very slight pressure so as to permit the attic ventilator to operate .eiiiciently These and other objects of the present invention will be appreciated from a study of the following speciiication taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a cut-away view in perspective of a portion of an attic having an attic ventilator of the present invention installed therein;

Fig. 2 is a section in elevation through the attic ventilator, taken substantially along line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a partial section of the attic ventilator, taken substantially along line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail on an enlarged scale of a preferred form of driving belt and mounting means therefor, taken substantially along line -fi of Fig. 3;

' Fig. 5 is a section on an enlarged scale of a modified form of driving belt and mounting means therefor;

Fig. 6 is a section on an enlarged scale of another modiiied form of driving belt and mounting means therefor;

Fig. '7 is an enlarged detail of the structure whereby the vanes of the ventilator are braced, the view 'being taken from the portion circled at 'l in Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a detail of a part of the motor mounting and movement limiting means taken substantially along line 8-8 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 9 is a section taken along line 9 9 of Fig. 2 showing the plan of a preferred form of damper for use in the present invention;

Fig. 10 is a vertical section taken along line liliii of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a vertical section taken substantially along line H-l l of Fig. 9; and

Fig. l2 is a Vertical section taken substantially along line i2-l2 of Fig. 9.

The ventilator of the present invention comprises a flanged and preferably upwardly dished disc 2b from which depend a plurality of vertical vanes E! attached near the periphery of the disc. As seen in Fig. 3 the vanes are preferably backwardly inclined with respect to the direction of rotation although they could be placed on radii of the disc or forwardly inclined if desired. However, it is preferable from the standpoint of noise and efliciency to incline the vanes backward with respect to the direction of rotation as shown. The vanes may be attached to the disc 2b as by welding end anges 2l thereon to the disc. The lower outer corners of the vanes are preferably notched or recessed as shown at 2 3 and a wire hoop 24 located in such recesses is' Welded or otherwise affixed to the vanes to brace the structure and keep the vanes in position. The disc 2B with the vanes 2l thereon is supported by a vertical central shaft 25 mounted in `a bearing sleeve 26 and resting upon a thrust ball 21 retained in the bearing'sleeve 26. The

shaft 25 is provided with a shoulder adjacent the upper end thereof against which bears the periphery of a central aperture through a bracing member 28, the outer edge of which is welded or otherwise aflixed to the disc 29. The enlarged end of shaft 25 is provided with a central threaded aperture in which a screw 29 is placed and which bears against a Washer 30 seated on top of the disc 2U. In assembling the shaft on the disc 20 it is preferable to pass the screw 29 loosely through an oversize hole in disc 28 into the end of shaft 25 which is then seated in the bearing sleeve 26. The wheel is now rotated and the shaft 25 shifted as desired to balance the structure. The screw 29 may now be tightened and the washer 38 and brace 28 welded or otherwise permanently fastened to the disc 20.

Bearing sleeve 25 is mounted upon a supporting structure comprising a ring 35, cross braces 36 and 31, and motor supporting brace 38, all of which are located in a plane normal to the axis of shaft 25. Motor supporting brace 38 is parallel to cross brace 3S and a motor pivot 46 eX- tends between the two braces and provides pivotal support for a motor mounting plate 4| upon which is fixed the motor 42. In operating position the motor mounting plate extends substantially vertical so that shaft 43 of the motor is substantially vertical and parallel to the shaft 25. The motor is retained in substantially vertical position by a limiting plate 45 pivotally mounted on cross brace 36 and urged into vertical position by a spring hinge 46. The plate 45 carries a U-shaped abutment 41, the arms of which straddle an edge of the motor mounting plate 4| and are provided with resilient bumper blocks 48 and 49 so spaced with respect to the plate 4| as to permit resiliently limited movement thereof about the pivot 48. Preferably the rear bumper 49 is thicker than the front bumper 48 and is positioned closer to the plate 4| than the front bumper 48. Plate 45 may be swung from operating position in order to permit movement of motor 42 -to a substantially horizontal position for oiling or during assembly of the ventilator.

In order to drive the Ventilating wheel the motor shaft 43 has a driving pulley 59 aiixed thereto and the Ventilating wheel has a belt resiliently maintained substantially concentric with the axis thereof and inside of the inner edges of the vanes 2| against which pulley 56 is forced by the overhanging weight o-f the motor. The belt 5| is maintained in substantially concentric position by a plurality of tension springs 52 having their inner ends fastened to the belt and their outer ends fastened to the ange of the disc 20. Preferably, the belt is reinforced by a Wire 53 imbedded therein in order to maintain the belt in circular shape and to permit the use of a fewer number of springs 52 than would be required if a relatively ncn-rigid belt were used; and, preferably, the inner end of the wires from which springs 52 are formed are hooked over the wire 53 and imbedded in the rubber of the belt by molding the belt around the hooked ends. The outer ends of the springs 52 may be engaged in the eyes of cotter pins 54, the ends of which are passed through and retained in rubber grommets 55 in clips 56 depending from the flange of the disc 20.

A modified form of endless belt structure ls set forth in Fig. 5 wherein it is shown that a friction belt I5| may be vulcanized or otherwise secured to the inner surface of a rigid circular hoop |53, having flanges thereon to which springs 52 may be fastened by any convenient means such as bails |54.

Another modified form of belt 25| is shown in Fig. 6 wherein a fabric reinforced rubber structure is molded around a circular wire or rod 253 of sufficient diameter to permit the drilling of openings therethrough so thatv the wires of the springs 5?. may be passed therethrough and clinched into the inner periphery of the belt at points which will be out of contact with the driving pulley, and so that the springs may be assembled to the belt after the molding of the belt has been accomplished.

As seen in Fig. 3 it is apparent that the driving pulley 5D is located forwardly of a radius of the wheel normal to the pivot 48 of the motor so that the greatest efciency of the motor is realized when it is in normal driving position since it tends to draw the belt into itself or operate with the least tendency toward slippage. It will also be appreciated that irregularities in the belt or tension cf the springs 52, or non-concentric placing of the belt, is compensated for by the pivotal mounting of the motor. It is, of course, readily apparent that a low speed, and hence very low noise factor, is accomplished through the use of this form of driving means. The rubber bumpers 48 and 49 serve primarily to prevent undue bouncing of the motor when it is rst started, such bouncing being due to the inertia ofthe wheel causing the motor pulley to throw the motor away from the belt 5|. For this purpose the bumper 49 is preferably of substantial depth so as to take up the shock of movement gradually and is preferably close to the motor plate 4E. The rubber block 48, on the other hand, limits the return bounce of the motor from placing an undue strain upon the springs 52 or the belt 5|. Upon starting the motor it is usual that the motor will bounce rapidly two or three times between the limiting blocks 48 and 49 before the inertia of the wheel has been overcome sufficiently to permit the pulley to remain in engagement with the belt, but the construction permits the use of a normal starting torque motor in the place of more expensive high starting torque motorswhich would be otherwise required.

The ventilator is located above an opening formed in the ceiling of the space to be ventilated. As seen in Fig. 2 an opening may be cut through the plaster 6!) of a. ceiling between josts 6| and 62 and through the attic flooring 63. The opening is preferably rectangular and the space between the joists is preferably blocked off by placing a cross board 64 at either end of the opening. The opening is of such size as to fit within the confines of the supporting ring 35 which is placed on the attic door 63 about the opening. A rubber beading 65 is preferably provided on ring 35 to prevent transmission of noises from the motor to the ceiling licor. A frame 66 composed of angle iron may be suspended at the edge of the opening in the ceiling by means of straps 31 nailed to the joists and cross board 64, and an ornamental molding 68 may be attached to the bottom of the frame, preferably with the inner edges thereof projecting beyond the frame 56, so as to provide a ledge to support the frame 1E! of a damper structure.

The damper comprises the rectangular frame 10 and intermediate cross bar 1| in which holes are drilled to support a plurality of longitudinally extending pivot rods 12. Each pivot rod 12 supports a damper plate 13 hung thereon by passing the pivot rod 12 through holes in end danses 'M of the plate, Preferably the holes drilled in cross bar 'H for the reception of rod l2 do not extend entirely through the cross rod so as to form limiting sockets, and after the rods are in position they are retained by passing cotter pins 'l5 through openings drilled therein adjacent the outer ends thereof. The plates 'I3 are eccentrically hung so that the weight of the side farthest removed from rod 'l2 retains the plate 13 in horizontal position with limiting flanges 'l projecting from each end thereof in position to engage with the frame I0 or cross bar 'll to limit movement of the plates when they reach their closed position. A U- shaped channel bar 'l1 is fastened to the short side of plate 'I3 parallel to rod l2 so as to provide counterbalancing means for returning the plate to closed position even though it may have been opened beyond a Vertical position. Preferably, there are three such plates at each side of the cross bar H and the plates at one side of the cross rod 'H open contrary to the opening movement of the plates at the other side so that the direction of movement of the vanes 2l may be in the direction of opening movement of the plates adjacent thereto when the damper is in position beneath the Ventilating wheel. The motor may be controlled by an operating switch 'I9 mounted upon cross brace 3l and provided with a pull cord 8l! passing through an opening drilled through the cross bar ll of the damper frame and into the room below the damper.

To install the present invention it is only necessary to create the opening through the ceiling as described and to suspend the damper in the opening. The ventilator may then be placed over the opening and will immediately be ready for operation. It will be noted that there is no physical connection of any sort between the damper and the ventilator, and consequently the damper assembly may be lifted out of the flanged support on which it rests and by tilting can be removed from the room below without disturbing the ventilator. Thus in winter, the damper may be readily replaced with a panel of heat insulating material to maintain the heat insulation characteristics of the entire ceiling.

The ventilator creates a suction upwardly and centrally thereof through the opening through the ceiling so that the damper plates 'I3 open to permit a current of air to how out of the space beneath the ventilator and into the space surrounding the ventilator. If the ventilator is located in an attic space, suicient air pressure f will be created to force the hot air from the room and from the attic space through the louvered opening 85 provided in attic spaces. It is preferred to locate the damper opening in the ceiling of the room desired to receive the most efective cooling action, rather than in a closet space or a hall for example. This is for the reason that the part of the device which is visible in the room may be easily decorated so that it is not unsightly, and. in operation is effective to draw the air across and in heat transferring contact with a substantial area of the ceiling surface. This provides for reducing relatively rapidly the temperature of the ceiling at the immediate surface thereof, and consequently of materially reducing the radiation effect and increasing the comfort of the occupants of the room. On the other hand, it may be desirable to create a circulation of air from the attic space into the occupied portion of the house, especially during spring and fall days when the sun is shining suiciently to heat the air in the attic space to a desirable point, in which case it may be found convenient to open the usual attic access trapdoor and close the louvered opening 85 by any convenient means so that the ventilator will circulate air from the room, through the attic space and back to the room through the trapdoor. One reason for the presence of the gravity damper in the combination is that it might be found necessary to have two or more ventilators located in the same attic space and each serving one room, so that if one of the ventilators were in operation while the other were not there might be an undesirable downdraft through the one not in operation were it not for the damper. Of course, however, it is to be appreciated that the ventilator wheel may be used without the gravity damper if such operation is desired and particularly if there is only the one opening from the attic space.

It is also to be pointed out that the driving means illustrated and described in connection with the present invention may be used in connection with other wheel-like structures, and that the same need not be used in a horizontal plane but may be used in any angular plane or in a vertical plane provided that the bearing of the wheel-like structure is sulciently modied to support the structure in such angular or vertical position.

Having described a preferred embodiment of my invention it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the same permits of modication in arrangement and detail thereof. All such modiiicatons as come within the scope of the following claims are considered to be a part of my invention.

I claim:

l. A Ventilating unit comprising a wheel-like structure having air impelling vanes thereon, a centrally located support about which said wheellike structure rotates, driving means therefor comprising 'an endless, pulley-engaging member resiliently retained in substantial concentricity with said Wheel-like structure, and a motor mounted with its axis parallel with and spaced from the axis of said support and having a pulley in driving engagement with said member.

2. ,A Ventilating unit comprising 'a wheel-like structure having air impelling vanes thereon, a centrally located support about which said wheellike structure rotates, driving means therefor comprising an endless belt mounted on said wheellilre structure in substantial concentricity with the axis of revolution of said wheel-like structure, and a motor mounted with its axis parallel with and spaced from the axis of said support and having a pulley in driving engagement with said belt.

A Ventilating unit comprising a wheel-like structure having air impelling vanes thereon, a centrally located support labout which said wheellike structure rotates, driving means therefor comprising a substantially rigid, circular member and resilient means to maintain said member substantially concentric with the 'axis of rotation of said wheel-like structure, and a motor mounted with its axis parallel with and spaced from the axis of said support and having a pulley in driving engagement with said member.

4'. A Ventilating unit comprising a wheel-like structure having 'air impelling vanes thereon, a centrally located support about which said wheellike structure rotates, and driving means therefor comprising a friction belt having a substantially rigid wire reinforcement imbedded therein and maintaining said belt in substantially circular form, land a plurality of springs maintaining said belt in substantial concentricity With the axis of rotation of said Wheel-like structure.

5. An air impeller comprising a Wheel-like structure having air moving varies thereon and adapted to rotate about a central axis of revolution, an endless friction belt, rigid reinforcing means adapted to maintain said belt in circular form, resilient means supporting said belt and said reinforcing means in substantial concentricity with the axis of revolution of the air impeller, a driving motor having a driving pulley adapted to engage said friction belt, and means to mount said motor with said pulley in engagement with said friction belt.

6. ,An air impeller comprising a Wheel-like structure having air moving vanes thereon and adapted to rotate about a central axis of revolutien, an endless friction belt, rigid reinforcing means adapted to maintain said belt in circular form, resilient means supporting said belt and said reinforcing means in substantial concentricity with the axis of revolution of the air impeller, a driving motor having a driving pulley adapted to engage said friction belt, and means pivotally to mount said motor with its axis substantially parallel to the axis of revolution of the air impeller and with the weight of said motor overhanging said pivotal mounting on the side toward said friction belt so as to cause the Weight of the motor to urge said pulley into firm engagement with said friction belt.

7. An air impeller comprising a wheel-like structure having air moving vanes thereon and adapted to rotate about a central axis of revolution, an endless friction belt of such length as to oircumscribe a circle of substantially lesser diameter than the diameter of said Wheel-like structure, a plurality of tension springs maintained substantially on radii of said wheel-like structure with their outer ends attached to said Wheel-like structure and their inner ends affixed to said tension belt to maintain said tension belt substantially concentric to the axis of revolution of said wheel-like structure, and a driving motor for said Wheel-like structure having a driving pulley thereon and in engagement with said friction belt.

8. An air impeller comprising a Wheel-like structure having air moving vanes thereon and adapted to rotate about a central axis of revolution, an endless friction belt of such length as to circumscribe acircle of substantially lesser diameter than the diameter of said wheel-like structure, a plurality of tension springs maintained substantially on radii of said Wheel-like structure With their outer ends attached to said Wheel-like structure and their inner ends alxed to said tension belt to maintain said tension belt substantially concentric to the axis of revolution of said Wheel-like structure, a driving motor for said Wheel-like structure having a driving pulley thereon and in engagement with said friction belt, and 'a pivotal support for said driving motor so arranged as to maintain the axis of said motor substantially parallel to the axis of revolution of said Wheel-like structure and Within the inner periphery of said friction belt, said pivotal mounting being so arranged as to cause the Weight of the motor to force said pulley against said friction belt.

9. An air impeller comprising a Wheel-like structure having air moving vanes thereon and adapted to rotate about a central axis of revolution, an endless friction belt of such length `as to circumscribe a circle of substantially lesser diameter than the diameter of said Wheel-like structure, a plurality of tension springs maintained substantially on radii of said Wheel-like structure with their outer ends attached to said wheel-like structure and their inner ends afxed to said tension belt to maintain said tension belt substantially concentric to the axis of revolution of said Wheel-like structure, a driving motor for said wheel-like structure having a driving pulley thereon and in engagement with said friction belt, and a pivotal support for said driving motor so arranged as to maintain the axis of said motor substantially parallel to the axis of revolution of said Wheel-like structure and within the inner periphery of said friction belt, said pivotal mounting being arranged to permit said motor to pivot out- Ward from the axis of revolution of said wheellike structure in a direction parallel to a diameter of said Wheel-like structure spaced from the axis of said motor in a direction contrary to the direction of rotation thereof and having said motor mounted thereon with the Weight thereof outwardly of the axis of pivotal movement.

l0. An air impeller comprising a Wheel-like structure having air moving vanes thereon and adapted to rotate about a central axis of revolution, an endless friction belt of such length as to circumscribe a circle of substantially lesser diameter than the diameter of said wheel-like structure, a plurality of tension springs maintained substantially on radii of said Wheel-like structure With their outer ends 'attached to said Wheel-like structure and their inner ends affixed to said tension belt to maintain said tension belt substantially concentric to the axis of revolution of said Wheel-like structure, a driving motor for said Wheel-like structure having a driving pulley thereon and in engagement With said friction belt, a pivotal support for said driving motor so arranged as to maintain the axis of said motor substantially parallel to the axis of revolution of said wheel-like structure and within the inner periphery of said friction belt, said pivotal mounting being arranged to permit said motor to pivot outward from the axis of revolution of said wheellike structure in a direction parallel to a diameter of said Wheel-like structure spaced from the axis of said motor in a direction contrary to the direction of rotation thereof and having said motor mounted thereon with the Weight thereof outwardly of the axis of pivotal movement, and means associated with said pivotal mounting resiliently to limit movement of said motor in either direction about the axis of pivotal movement thereof.

CHARLES F. BEELER. 

